WashU Law’s Post Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum’s co-director, Professor Joseph Perkovich, stood before the Supreme Court of the United States this week, marking his first appearance at the nation’s highest court as he argued on behalf of death row inmate Terry Pitchford.
Perkovich, with the assistance of his students in the Post-Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum who worked on the case, challenged Pitchford’s conviction on the grounds that prosecutors engaged in racial discrimination during jury selection. Pitchford, a Black man sentenced to death for a 2004 felony murder tied to an armed robbery, claims the prosecution used peremptory strikes to exclude Black jurors in violation of Batson v. Kentucky.
“The persistent, invidious practice of removing people based on their race is something that sadly continues 40 years after Batson came down,” Perkovich said, calling the case an opportunity for the Court to reaffirm constitutional protections in jury selection.
Three of the students in the Practicum, 3Ls Riley Gilliland, Nikki Phelps, and Keelan Kilban, were in attendance for the argument, to witness firsthand a case that they assisted with, and one that sits at the intersection of constitutional law and criminal justice reform “The students’ contribution to our current effort in briefing and preparing for argument is considerable,” said Perkovich.
For Perkovich, the moment reflects both a personal milestone and a continuation of his broader mission: ensuring that the guarantees of equal protection under the law extend fully into the courtroom.
The Post-Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum is one of WashU Law’s thirteen legal clinics.
